Project: Maple Seed
by A.J.RITE
Summary: When those who planned to end the world for the betterment of the world, never thought that there would be people who would hide from the world and wait for a new one: after the events of Never-More Project Maple Seed was activated the Flock unknowingly holding the key to the project success or failure is presented with one question ."peace or war?" (Will contain OC's)
1. porlogue

Prologue

In a tiny poorly lit one-bedroom apartment a youthful looking man his head resting down on a chipped poorly made wooden table. His sandy blonde hair laying over his face stared out at the blackness beyond his window motionless. Wondering how many people just a few months ago while there life's coming to an end wondered how they could save themselves from it and that was easily predictable and could have easily prevented. He turned his head away from the empty window letting his mind go blank. A loud knocking sound startled him up right in his chair after a few seconds the knocking sound continued "go away" he shouted his deep green eyes slicing through the dark for a moment all was quiet but then the knocking continued louder and more persistent as if asking to be noticed. The man then turned his head to the door to his apartment as if by knowledge in the source of the sound he did make it disappear "I am busy go away" he growled through his teeth trying not to be heard. But, his words made no difference he stood up and opened the door, a towering man wearing a luxurious suit made of dark-colored fabrics and air power.

"Harvey?" the tall man glared down with orange color eyes the blond hair man looks up at the giant and a smile grows across

"Oh what does a powerful aristocrat like you need with a humble miner like me?" Harvey answered smugly.

"Don't joke with me Harvey!" the orange eye man said stepping into the apartment despite his size and high-class demeanor makes himself very comfortable in the slow grade space. He places a black briefcase on the table. "We have to talk!"

"Did I break the law sir?" Harvey asked showing no sign of helping

"Stop joking!" the tall man boomed "where were you last night!" Watching the young miner walk into the room "you were needed at the grand hall and never showed up."

"Are you mad why would someone like me would be in high-class joint like that?" the sandy-haired man replied

"Do you have brain damage man!" the aristocrat boomed "The Project, The sendoff party everything we worked so hard for!" His face turning red Harvey's smiles quivered for a moment only to return as fast

"Oh a party?" Harvey retorted "I'm sure got drinks somewhere." He turn his back to the giant as he shuffles though the cabinet filled with unmarked bottles

"She needed you at the party." The towering man said Harvey stops shuffling and slowly began to hum happily "she was really excited and when you didn't show up" Harvey began to make noise with the bottles to drown out the man's words "she had an anxiety attack and" the giant became startled by the sound of breaking bottles

"Shut up! Jundus, please just shut up." Harvey's screamed his façade breaking steams of unknown liquids and broke glass came pouring out of the cabinet Harvey slowly turns around his green eye's slow drilling in to Jundus's orange eyes

"Are you willing to talk now?" the tall man said

"Look at me!" Harvey gestures to his surrounding "I'm sunk, it not like had any other choice." He head slumped to the ground "I wanted to be there on her special day, I really did I wanted to see her before she left."

"Listen I'll fix this, but you'll be working for me." The giant offered

"She told you to say, right, my twenty million dollar baby told you that?" Harvey smiled reserving a hidden message in the giant's words

"Our twenty million dollar baby, but after the party she understood she cost you more than that." Jundus answered

"Of course! Her play mates never came cheap." Harvey said proud of their achievement

"A piece that I was suppose to pay for, never mind that you'll pay for it later." Jundus paused as a massive entity moved by widow devouring the darkness as it shakes the building and its residents.

"Why do those thing keep coming?" Harvey questioned griping the edge of the wall

"I'll get the Stiffer's on it." The giant said pulling a tablet like device from his suit

"That do they want out there?" Harvey said walking over to the table

"It, the gender of the beast is the unknown it seem to be the leader of a pod that has been circling the city for the past week or so." Jundus says calmly typing into the tablet "it's looking for an angel or"

"Angel that the flock girl? Right, that's one of my baby's targets." Harvey green eye scanning the table

"yes." Jundus smiled "The Flock that what the old world called the seven avian hybrids that are of dire important to the project." He looks at Harvey slowly putting the tablet back in the "because they are the ones that will decide the fate of new world, that why she need you back, she need you on the project in power as a social elite."

"Brilliant we raised her well." Harvey nods "so" he tapped the brief cases "tomorrows the big day hum" silent setting in as he looked out widow to the massive figure moving in the darkness "when the sun raises everything is going to change for those who still believe in the old world."

_( AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, pleases leave a review and I will post the next chapter as soon as I can ) _


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Max smiled as her and her flock ran through the lush green forest. She turned around to see Erasers, M-Geeks and all the monstrous creations that were designed to capture, or even destroy her and everything close to her. She laughed as they comically lagging behind unable to catch the nimble bird kids, she turned her head back to the flock, her family, each one of them smiling laughing along with her. Suddenly earth drop off in front them, and in a single breath they had jumped off the cliff unfurling there wing's soaring in to the pristine blue sky. Looking up at the endless space before them were other happy smiling bird kids.

"Max!" a voice rang out, alarmed, Max quickly glances over the flock and the others. "Max, please don't leave me!" A child's wail from beneath her , swooping down back to the cliff to see girl at least six years old head shaven ,arm pockmarked and bruised. "Max." The crying squeaked moving closer to her.

"Don't move!" Max said stopping the little girl from getting to close to the edge of the cliff. "Hey guys get down here." She shouted up to the happy bird kids who were joyfully flying around blissfully unaware of the world below them. " I said get down here!" she shouted once more

"Max?" young girl said her eyes wide open tears pouring out "why did you leave me?" she sobbed

"It ok, I'm here now." max said calmly trying to land back down but slipped does if the rocky cliff was made of soap. As Max regained her flight balance she saw a massive Eraser and a gang of monsters broke out of the forest behind the terrified girl.

"Max." an eerie cry escape the young girl's mouth as a large Eraser grabbed the young girls head, Max tried to swoop down to stop them but an unknown force prevented her getting close to the cliff and with a quick jerk of the beast hand a loud snapping sound emanated from the child the beast then dropped the tiny lifeless body. The erasers and its followers then stared up at Max smiling at her waiting for her approval. As Max flapped her wing's looking down at the frail little body in her rage she looked at the face of the murder, only to see herself.

Max woke up in her room in the underground bunker that she and many others now called home. Her room consisted of a bed, a metal desk with a computer which no longer had Internet access and to large lockers meant for storing clothes and bedding. The whole room gave her an uneasy feeling the only thing that calmed this feeling was the pictures and crafts that where given to her by the younger residents of the bunker. She got dressed and headed out in to the hall which was surprisingly empty despite the massive size of the bunker hallways where filled with kids and the few adults trying to get to one place to another.

She walked down the hall as tiny voice stop her in her tracks. "Max?" she slowly to see Angel her blond a mess wearing a pastel pink nightgown " what's are you doing up?"

"Nothing I'm fine." Max said trying not to be specious. Angel stared at Max clearly seeing that Maximum wasn't telling the truth. "Ok I had a bad dream, geez."

"Iggy and Gazzy had nightmares too." Angels face softened. Max looked up and down the barren hallway

"Were are there they?" Max asked noticing that Angel was listening to their thoughts.

"With Fang his not doing well, his thoughts are all over the place it." Angel's force drifted of away from Max her face suddenly became concern

"What's wrong baby?" Max said looking Angel as turned and walked down the empty hallway "Angel?" She tried to ask aging her tone more worried when the little girl incense her speed the two girls then speedily ran though long dark and sometimes narrow passages the, dark tunnels had little effect in slowing them down due to their enhance eyesight. They eventually reached a hallway where three figures, one of them was quickly identified as The Gasman's potent odor already flooding the hall

"Hey there you two what you doing up?" Iggy shouted down the hall only to be ordered to be quite by Fang

"Me and Max had bad dreams and couldn't go back to sleep." Angel said sweetly

"why didn't you tell me?" Max whispered to Angel then the little girl looked up at Max, with her endless blue eyes.

"You never asked me ." Angel whispered back.

"I'm sorry." Max apologized hurt by the fledglings' word, Angel then just shook her head walk over to the three boys.

"So what are you guy doing?" Angel asked.

"We wanted to know if Nudge want to go outside with us but-" Gazzy explained only to be cut off by Maximum.

"Outside! Have you gone fracking insane! You all know why we can't do that!" She shouted exerting authority.

"Shh!" Iggy put a finger to his mouth "wake up the whole town why don't you."

"Nudge has gone mental she won't stop crying and she won't let anyone in her room." Gazzy continued.

"Her nightmare really got to her bad, Max." Angel looked at her once again "She needs you." Max then looked around the group of kids hoping for someone else to volunteer. When no spoke up she sighed and walk over to Nudge's door the sound of her sobs could be heard from outside of room.

"Nudge hunny, it's Max." she said as she knocked on the door.

"Go away!" Nudge screeched her voice filled with pain.

"I just want to talk, is that alright?" Max said trying to be calm. The door then opened slightly Nudge looked out into the hall, paranoid her big dark eyes filled with terror. "May I come in?" Nudge then opened the door the whole way allowing Max in .Nudge's room was identical to Max's and the other rooms in the bunker "so what, happened Angel said you had a bad dream."

"I murdered someone!" Nudge blurted out to Max looked at her as she sat on the bed " actually it was a suicide but, but." Nudge's began to fill up with tears

"Start from the beginning." Max sat down next to her

"At first it was perfect we didn't have wings but, there was no schools or white coats and this" Nudge gestured to nothing particular "we're happy but, after a while this girl stared showing up she couldn't have be older than Angel." Nudge began to sob as Max had flash backs from her own dream "I decided to talk to her, she wanted to friends but she, couldn't was a _'freak' _ I asked her why." She looked at Max tears flowing she face "I shouldn't have asked her why."

"What happened to her?" Max asked the memory of the bald girl still present

"She had these big red wings but, they weren't made of only feathers but scales and skin like some mad man stitched them together." she paused , silent taking hold of the room Nudge closed her eyes " I screamed and she pulled out a gun ,I don't know how she got it she was so tiny." Nudges feeling got the best of her and began to cry.

"It's ok it wasn't real" Max hugged her "it was we just a bad dream"

"After she pulled the trigger I felt so much pain coming from her it was like the Vietnam Memorial all over again." Nudge squeak out between sobs

"It's ok the bad dreams are gone it will be ok there not coming back" Angel walked in to the room teary eyed

"So Nudge do you want to come fly around outside with us, it might get you mind off of your dream?" Iggy asked poking his head in the room

"Again you know why we can't do that!" Max restated letting go of Nudge "use the arena it was design for us to fly in."

"Yes! Cause a two story dome it the ground is totally great for flying when the eighteenth bird kid tries to cram in!" Fang spoke up as he leaning up against the door Max's eyes drilled into him despite their growing relationship Max and Fang still disagreed on a lot more than they should in the past few months.

"Dr. Martinez, my mother clearly said the radiation levels outside where to dangerous." Max countered "it's just not safe."

"That not true." Iggy chimed in

"I don't think my mom lie about deadly radiation!" max slammed her fist into the bed

"She wasn't lying about that, but, the deadly radiation that the adults are afraid of, is at least an ocean away." Fang cut in "Plus it's doing anything it seems pretty contained."

"So it's safe to fly around island." Gazzy "so Max please can we go outside?" Max quietly sat on the bed in refusing to answer

"I'm with Fang on this one" Angel said

"I want to go out to." Nudge agreed

"Fine!" Max given in to the Flocks demand "so it's like three thirty now we need to be back in by six o' clock or we're going to some angry adult on our hands. " Standing up begging to heading to one of the working exits take charge of the mission. A brief walk later got to the steel door that separated them from the outside world but, they were not alone Dylan was there waiting for them. "What! Why are you here?"

"Couldn't sleep, had a hunch that you guy would show up here." Dylan answered

"He had a bad dream to." Angel stated bluntly

"You to!" Gazzy exclaimed "so every expect Fang had one."

"So does it all mean?" Nudge questioned "maybe"

"Maybe we should get this door open" Fang interrupted her griping the wheel to open the door

"Wait!" Dylan shouted

"Dylan, I tried to stop them so don't even start." Max told him crossing her arms

"I wasn't going to stop you." Dylan said embarrassed "you might want disarm the security on the door unless you want everyone to know we're leaving." Pointing to a key pad next to the door then Nudge and Iggy rushed over to it.

"Can I it open now?" Fang asked sarcastically, after getting the thumbs up from Iggy fang turned the wheel and with a pop the metal door opened fresh air rushing in. the early morning sky a dark blue.

"Woo whoo." Gazzy ran out the bunker wings out wide the rest of Flock quickly flow suit. As they nostalgically soared over the island, small patches green doting the red barren landscape.

"When do you think we can live outside again?" Max asked to no one in particular "like in tree houses?"

"I don't know there isn't any trees" Dylan said surveying the area "well green one." as they soared over a forest of black matchstick like trees. Max then circled back to check up rest of flock to see Angel scanning the surroundings confused.

"Max move!" Dylan shouted as silver-gray object darted past Max almost touching her wing.

"What was that?" Max turned her head trying to pinpoint the object

"A bullet!" Iggy said

"To large, maybe a missile!" Gazzy began looking for explosion

"How would someone get a missile launcher on the Island?" Nudge panicked

"Guys it's coming back up!" Dylan said as the falling object sharply shoot itself back up extending its metallic wings for the Flock to see before quickly snapping them against its back causing it to free fall to the ground.

"Flyboy!" Fang shouted diving after it as he got close to it he could clearly human arms and legs on a slender bird kid like body. The unknown figure the open its wings once again, light from the rising sun reflecting off them almost blinding Fang. It then quickly veered off into the dead forest perching itself on a branch. Fang landed on a nearby tree ash and bark falling of its branches taking a closer look at the figure who was now staring back at him, its nose and mouth covered dark colored breathing mask, heavily tinted flite goggles a thin metal ban around its neck with a dark green military combat suit. The only thing that gave it major identity was its short black hair barely going past its ear's. With the strangers wings similar to a Flyboy's and it over all hostile appertains Fang made a snap second opinion that the outsider was no friend and lunged at it. The suited stranger jumped off its branch avoiding Fangs attack only to be kicked in the side by Max how came to help him. The stranger with an ohm! Let go of the limb and fell to the ash below.

"Fang that wasn't a Flyboy what the heck did I just kick!?" Max said keeping an eye on the recovering outsider

"It look like a fly boy from a far." Fang responded as the rest of the Flock showed up

"So what is it?" Gazzy ask

"Well it's a human for the most part." Fang said

"And it's not alone." Dylan sated pointing to, two teen age girls dressed similar to the stranger.

"Why have they attacked us their just sitting there?" Fang said

"Maybe their friendly!" Nudge said happily

"Doubt it" Max said bluntly just then the outsider jumped in the air and flow over their heads. "there probably here to hunt us."

"I'm going to talk to it." Nudge said

"No." Max said only to see Nudge chase after the stranger "better go save her, Iggy Gazzy Dylan stay here." as she took off with Angel and Fang

"HI." Nudge flied next to unfamiliar person "I'm Nudge and you are?" Silent "um are you deaf Iggy's blind you guy would be great friends if you were." The stranger chuckle its voice muffled by the breathing mask. "Oh my gosh you can hear me. High five!" Nudge held out her hand and awful snap flowed by an electronic beep as one of the stranger's wigs bends unnaturally toughs Nudge.

"Nudge!" Max yelled Angel and Fang close by her

"I'm sorry." Nudge said As the outsider began to fall out of the giving Nudge the thumbs up before quickly using its one good wing flap to the ground and clasped to it knees the two girl how had waited on the side line rushed over to their injured comrade with great speed .

"Don't move!" Angel shouted. as Nudge, Max, Fang and her landed in front of them .

"Explain who you guys are and what you're doing here!" Max ordered just then younger of the two girls stepped forward she had long amber hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"Are you going to say something?" Fang said the girl took a deep then pulled back her sleeves to reveled long yellow feathers growing from her arm clear visible in the morning light.

"something." The girl's eyes narrowed and let out a deathly loud screech causing the Max and others to fall there knees covering their ear's in pain as the older one unaffected by the noise tossed a smoke bomb leaving the four bird kids the dark as the strangers made their escape.

**( AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter ) **


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

As the smoke swirled around, the ringing in Max's ears faded she could a voice calling her. She hastily moved towards the voice "hello?" she shouted coughing on the smoke

"Max." Nudge coughed her form and the shadows of the two clearly visible in the dark cloud.

"Every one status check!" Maximum ordered to the three.

"I'm ok." Nudge said standing up

"Got a bit of a headache but, nothing major." Fang's voice rang out. For a brief second Max felt relieved

"Angel?" Max called out.

"I'm fine." Angel's tiny voice was heard as the smoke quickly dissipated revealing Iggy, Gazzy and Dylan circling above them.

"I heard an awful noise you guys are alright?" Iggy said landing the other two doing the same

"We're find what happened to those trespassers?" Fang said

"They got away." Dylan said

"Then let go after them." Fang insisted

"No." Max said

"Max!" Fang said "They have weapons and clearly dangerous."

"One it was a smoke bomb and two they move extremely fast for us to catch them." Max trying make a point

"I've seen faster." Fang countered getting ready to take off

"If they did have dangerous weapons then we are not equipped to take them on" Dylan defended max the rest of the Flock silently agreeing with him.

"The best plan of action is to get back to the bunker and warn every one of what we've seen." Max stated.

"Fine!" Fang snapped "let go scare some adults." As he taking off to cliff where they came from the rest of them following close behind. As the Flocks tried to sneak through the still open metal door only to be greeted by large blast of water and foal smelling cleaners.

"Well at least I won't have to take a bath." Iggy said as a group of people wearing a sterile white hazmat suits waved sensors in front of the bird kids.

"They're clean." One of the suited men said

"No durr!" Nudge shivered

"We need to speak to my mom we've got a more real danger than possible radiation poisoning." Max said an undying seriousness in her voice as dread filled the eyes of the suited adults. A short while after the dripping bird kids were locked in a large confronts room with Valencia Martinez, Jeb Batchelder, and Nino Pierpont each one digesting the story the Flock had told them.

"Are you sure they we're not refuges that came to the island the seeking help?" Pierpont asked

"No, they we're wearing military like outfits and seamed in no need of help." Fang answered

"What I don't understand is the mechanical wings" Dr. Martinez said confused "my time with Itex and the schools if an experiment was capable of flying it would be born with wings or have them graphed on at the least"

"Fang?" Jeb said in deep thought

"Ya?" Fang answered

"You said that the one with the artificial wings had a metal neck-band." Jed stated "did the other two have similar bands?"

"I don't know." Fang said "why does that get you attention?"

"No reason, maybe they wear them as a sing of ownership." Jed said. Max glared at him detecting his lie clear as day.

"So like pet collars?" Gazzy asked

"Yes." Jed said bluntly

"Hey Angel, your being quiet, is there something wrong?" Nudge said

"It was all rehearse." Angel said trying to comb her hair with her fingers

"What?"

"Everything they did was preplanned." The little girl said looking up from the table "I heard their thought's at first I didn't get it the constant numbers that kept popping up but, I get it now."

"So they can see in to the further?" Dr. Martinez questioned

"No" Angel said "but, in that moment, we too easy to predict." An uneasy feeling fell on ever one in the room

"So Jeb if those neck thingies weren't collars, what would they be?" Max ask slyly

"Something that doesn't exist and never will." Jeb said making eye contact with Max

"Stop it with the neck wear" Fang shouted "there are foreigner on the island and no one said anything about stopping them."

"Fang from the story you have told us they're not that dangerous "Jeb Batchelder

"What about what Angel said and the uniforms?" Iggy said

"Yes!" Fang agreeing with Iggy "they're out there planning something and we are in here siting down! Doing nothing about it!" he then stood up beginning to walk out.

"If those three out can predict every move you are about to do." Pierpont said "Fang?" who stood in the door way "I may have something that may help."

"Am listening." Fang stared at him

"It may take some time to find it, so in an hour will all met in the control room and I'll show you what I'm talking about." Nino Pierpont stood up and left the large room. A few moments later they were in a dark room lite by flashing switches and button and dimly glowing monitors. Starting down at small computer screen a view the metal door from the outside.

"What are we looking at?" Gazzy asked

"Nothing right now." Dr. Martinez said "the rescue flyer hasn't lifted off yet."

"Rescue flyer?" Iggy asked

"Think of it as a remote control helicopter with a camera attached it." Dr. Martinez "it was design for finding lost workers and non-flying kids in the jungle."

"I call first turn as pilot!" Gazzy shouted

"None of you are piloting it." Jeb said "I am."

"Why?" Maximum said

"You're all not trained to fly it the last thing we need is it for it to crash before we find them" Jed said grabbing a nearby joystick

"I bet I could pilot it." Gazzy said crossing arms grumbling as the view of the door on the screen got smaller and turn outwards to the rest of the island

"Now what?" Max said "what are we going to do if find them what is this little toy going to do to stop them"

"Will get to that bridge when we come to it." Fang said scanning the screen for any sing for strangers

"Jeb." Dylan said "can you fly a dead forest south of here."

"Why do you want to go back their?" Nudge said

" just a hunch" Dylan said as Jeb steered the flyer the black patch of land "right there" Pointing to nearby cliff a small steam of smoke bellowing from the top.

"They sure didn't go far for things that run fast." Valencia Martinez said

"Maybe they wanted to found." Iggy said who was sitting down moving his hand around a corner of the screen. The flyer moved the cliff reveling a small camp fire the three outsider sit around it the talking unaware of the rescue flyer. The metal wing one had it back to the flyer camera.

"What are they talking about?" Fang said examining the damaged artificial wing.

"These things use to have a speaker and a microphone but this one's got broken." Dr. Martinez explained as the young amber haired girl notice the hovering flyer.

"Whelp it seem we've gotten the screamers attention." Gazzy said as the girl pointed as the metal winged one turned to face it removing the dark tined goggles reveling yellow color eyes and feminine eyelash "so it a girl cyborg." Gazzy teased but the metal wing girl's eyes sent shivers up Maximum's back. Turning away from the screen she saw that Jeb Batchelder was all so effected by the strangers gaze. Suddenly a bright white static covered screen startling the Jeb letting go of the joy stick an image of the cliff side before the screen completely cut to black.

"The little..!" Fang hissed

"It was technical error and I lost control." Jeb admitted "well they're out there not much we can do about it."

"Not much?!" Dr. Martinez said "sure they may or not be dangerous it's not safe for those girls to be outside alone."

"Why should we let them in, like Fang said they military like and are in no need of our help." Jeb countered

"So you expect us to sit around and wait till they leave." Dr. Martinez said

"Yes that's what we plan to do." He said leaving the room

"Hey Jeb!" Max rush out into the hall "who or what is really out there?"

"Nothing of importance." Jeb stated

"You promised me, The Flock and even mom that you would be honest with us for now on." Max said as Jeb counties to walk away "at least tell me." She demanded

"Sorry Max but, you don't keep secrets." He sullenly whispered. A few hours later Max belly-flopped on her bed exhausted and confused from the events of the day. She quickly fell in to a dreamless sleep but her rest was short-lived as an alarming rotor sound filled the room. Opening her eyes to see her computer on almost vibrating on the metal desk. She walked over to the desk to see a white screen Max move the mouse cursor over to the red x in the corner of the screen only to be stopped by a tiny black word and worried yellow face emoticon appearing at the bottom of the page

"Hello?" the little text read Max thinking it was just a another kid in the bunker how managed to fix the bunker's internet responded

"Hello" she typed.

"Greetings how is this?" Appeared. Max pushed before answering

"Maximum Ride, You?"

"Aquarius" it responded with a smiley face the unfamiliar name made Max uneasy

"Where are you?" she asked

"Outside." A knot from in Max's stomach as the fear that three foreigner may have hacked in to the bunker

"Outside?" she typed

"Sorry I'm in Colorado I think I'm being followed got to go bye ,Maximum." Aquarius explained before the computer power cut out keyboard and black screen becoming hot.

"Max!" Angel opened the door a blaring alarm sounding behind her.

"But." Max jester to the dead computer.

"Will tell your mom later!" Angels voice emanated in Max's head "there here! They got in the bunker!" Max quickly followed Angel down the hall way to a massive crowd of kids and workers Maximum move her way to the front where several adults blocked the three strangers from the rest of the bunker. The three girls stood close together seemingly in shock by the unhappy mob in front of them.

"Uh" the amber hair girl mutter "you dropped this?" She held out the damaged rescue flyer her yellow feathers visible to the crowd as she put the broken helicopter like machine on the floor.

"A hem" the muffled voice of the metal winged one whispered.

"What?" Max said as the second girl stepped forward and removing a few explosive from her belt "is that all?" the girl then pulled out two pistols causing an uproar in mob of kids forcing her to drop them and kick them away "anything else?" The girl pulled out a knife and removed a small black can from its handle before putting them down. "Is that it or are you just a walking armory?"

"That's it." The girl responded.

"Your jacket?" metal wing's muffled voice spoke out the girl removed her camo jacket revealing fluffy black wings too small for flying but, real working wings.

"Who are you?" a voice from the crowd.

"I'm Emma "the amber haired girl said "that my big sister Rodin" pointing to the jacketless girl looking down at the hoard of weapons she dropped. "This is are leader" Emma said as the metal winged one remove her face mask and goggles once aging.

"I am Amelia Flannán" the metal wing girl her filled with authority and kindness creating mixed reactions from the mob. "We mean to harm, we wish to speak of peace."

"If you came for peace why did you bring weapons?" Fang spoke out among the crowd.

"Personal safety." She said smiling "now if you don't mind we wish to speak to your leaders in private" Amelia's gaze falling down on Max.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"You had your chance to talk and you ran away from us!" Max said to the cyborg, the metal winged girl smiled at Maximum in return

"I apologize for that but, I'm sure if you were in ower situation you would have done the same thing." The stranger said moving closer to her the crowd of kids shifting and stretching collectively unsure what to do with the outsider.

"Miss!" The voice of Nino Pierpont breaking through the noisy mob.

"Me?" Amelia asked focusing her attention the crowded hallway

"Yes I think it's me you wish speak with." Pierpont answered moving his way through Max and the stranger

"Wait." Amelia said in shock" you're Mr. Pierpont!" A child like wonder and innocence, gaping other two outsiders attention .

"Do you know her ?" Max asked him

"I don't."he answered

"Well you may not know me I know people who knew you. " the metal winged girl stated "but that's not important, we have more... unique things to discus, am I right Mr. Pierpont." She smiled, Max scowled at the cheerful intruder.

"Yes I guess we do." Pierpont said

"Thank you" Amelia spoke sweetly greatly appreciating his words "come on girls." She called out to her companions who quickly heeded their leaders call

"Max why don't you go get Fang and the others I'd like for you guys to join us." Pierpont said leading the trio through the crowd Max left behind watching the outsiders go deeper into the bunker, her home.

"Max." One of the bird kids stepped of the crowd

"Hm." Max responded lost in thought.

"We're going to be alright." The fledgling ask "right Max?"

"Yay it's going alright." Max said looking down at the child unsure of herself. The bird kid at her and gave a shy smile before running back into the now dispersing crowd. Max quietly walking away the flock joining her.

"So what's the plan now?" Dylan asked

"Why do we need a plan?" Nudge questioned "they just want to talk to us."

"There something up." Max cut in" I don't like look in that Amelia's girls eyes" Max look down the hall catching a glimpse of the outsider's artificial wing's her mother's words floating in the reassess of her mind as Nino Pierpont stood in front of the conference room talking to the intruders .

"Excuse me Mr. Pierpont" the amber haired girl spoke "I'll stand guard out here in the hall"

"There's no need for that." Fang said the young bird girl quivering her older sister quickly taking her hand

"Rodin, Emma please stand guard for me while I talk Mr. Pierpont and the others." Amelia said the young bird overjoyed by her leader's word let go sister's hand and huge the metal winged girl "careful Emma I'm injured." she giggled.

"Max." Fang said his gaze losing site of the happy trio "Iggy, Gazzy and I will stay out here make sure they try anything." Max paused for moment sensing uncertainty in his voice. "you know if they plan to do more guarding." Fangs colder side returning Maximum nodded bringing the other four Bird kids in to the conference room a faint smell of cleaners wafted out of the room creating unease in the four, with its one bright light, white walls and large metal table in the center of it all.

"I'm very sure that my existents is very confusing for you all." Amelia said siting in a nearby chair her silver-gray wing's blending in with the cold steel of the bunker "so I will answer any questions you may have."

"How do we know that we can trust you?" Max said looking at the outsider her brown eyes meeting Amelia's calm gaze that seemed to freeze Max in place a faded vision of the past flickered in the back of her mind .

"I'm here in this room speaking with you now isn't that enough proof that I mean you no harm. " The metal winged girl replied

"No." Max said breaking free of the strangers spell quickly joining the others at end of the table "it's not enough." Max continued siting down next to Angel that seemed to be in a trance of her own.

" if I meant to do you any harm I would have ordered my companions to do so but, I didn't isn't that a reasonable explanation?" the metal winged girl asked becoming bored leaning back in her chair silver-gray feathers drifting off her damaged wing on to the

"How's that wing?" Nudge asked feeling guilty for the stranger injury.

The outsider sat up smiling thankfully "Oh? Well it hurts when I move it but..."she paused noting the group across the table "I'll be fine. "

"That's good to hear." Nudge smiled back

"Nudge!" Max cut in

"What." Nudge shouted back surprised Maximum I didn't do anything.

"Why are you here Ms. Amelia?" Nino Pierpont spoke Amelia stiffened siting more unnaturally upright closing her eyes her face and eye's drained of life

"It is my mission to find the seven avian hybrids that calls themselves The Flock ,and convenience them to go Sitnalta where they will be given an as much time need to make their decision." The metal winged girl spoke in a cold unfeeling manner

"What?" Dylan asked confused "you want us to go where and do what?" Amelia opened her eyes seemingly dazed

"You have two days to come with me and my companions or I'll fail my mission "she spoke standing up the revealing the thin metal band clamped tighter around the strangers neck "I have come all this way to offer a chance for peace it would be wise to do the same." suddenly Angel breaking free of her trance spoke up

"If we don't?" Angel ask "what if want to wait more than two days to go with you? What will happen to us?"

"Nothing to bad… I think." the stranger relaxed more naturally and in control of her movement "you'll be missing out on some luxuries and benefits that you may need in the distant future."Max tensed remembering that the adults mentioning a food shortage but would go quiet when she walked past, looking around she could see that the other were thinking the same. "But." The strangers' words caching Max's attention only for the metal winged girl to laugh.

"What's so fricking funny?" Max thrust herself upwards slamming her hand on the table silencing the outsider.

"Nothing, it is not wise to keep me unwillingly, I know you won't." Amelia shrunk twinging in discomfort as her broken wing move "just it in all of our best interest if the Flock would come with me to Sitnalta. "

"What is Sitnalta?" Pierpont asked I can only guess that it the place you came from. "

"Yes, Sitnalta is the capital super city of ten other." Amelia answered

"Never heard of it." Max said with a uncaring bluntness only she could master

"That's the point, if everyone knew about where I came from the world leaders would try take from us it or worse." Amelia explained taking Max's comment seriously "I believe you'll can understand how it to lose everything." Max understood the feeling of losing everything but, she sensed that the outsider did not. "So please will you come with me?" the outsider asked her eyes pleading for something more. Max felt disappointed for feeling that the yellow eyed girl was a threat and ashamed but she couldn't understand why.

"Were done here." she stood up

"So you agree?" the stranger smiled a childlike hopefulness "you'll come back with me."

"Not yet." Max's said before coldly walking out. Out in the hall the two intrudes sat on the floor the amber hair girl sat next to the older one falling asleep.

"Out so soon?" Fang asked leaning against the wall Max looked around Iggy and Gazzy where no were to be seen Max smirked ready to make a witty remake Angel rushed out of the conference room face pale.

"Max!" Angel's voice echoed in Max's head "don't move!" in a knee jerk reaction Max tensed up an extreme pain shoot up her spine a splitting headache forming in the back of her head snaking out ward to her face forcing her to close her eyes.

"What's wrong?" She could her Fang's voice as she stumbled in to his arms.

"Get!" Max struggled to speak her lungs filling with an intense heat. "My mother!" the outsiders stood up in shock as Max fell limb, Angel eyes wide rushing off down the endless hall.

_**(AN: sorry for this chapter being so short I'll get the next chapter out as soon I can.)**_


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Amelia watched as nearby adults moved Max's body on to another room _'what? What happened?_' she thought, even though what happened to Maximum wasn't her fault she could fell the hate and blame of those around her.

"You did this!" Angel hissed at her.

"I do not understand." She answered

"You know." Angel say anger growing she was tried to read Amelia's thoughts but, she keep being pushed out a strong unpleasant felling. She felt that felling once before in her nightmares: a powerful grip gabbing at her sharp nails digging deep into mind, deeper then she could've ever imagine.

"You're wrong." Amelia said her leadenly composer wavering, she looked into Angels blue eyes fear and rage swirling around the little bird girl, she couldn't take it.

"There are you going!" Angel shouted as the metal winged girl turned and began to walk away, she doesn't reply her speed quickened.

"You little fool." Robin the dark haired stranger said as the amber haired girl hid behind her.

"What'd you call me?" Angel turned to two flightless bird girls

"Our proud leader is not capable of what your accuse her of." Rodin proud tone only ticked off Angel more.

"Ya, she not like you." Emma poked out from behind her sister.

"What that supposed to mean." She flash her blue eyes at the amber hired girl.

"She immune to things ….that people like you can do." The girl squeaked looking away, Amelia's yellow eyes filled Angels vison when she tried to enter to her mind like she did the day before.

"That's why she's our leader she can't be manipulated." Her older sister explained, Angel gritted her teeth as the same thing happened with Robin's thoughts.

"I wasn't trying to manipulate her!" Angel snapped "I just want her to tell the truth!" these girls infuriated her, there proud leader left them and they still talked about her as if she was a messiah.

"You really want the truth." Robin looked down at Angel and the young bird girl looked at her "We don't want to be you enemy." Her voice was cold eye staring at Angel. Robbin then grabbed Emma and began to walk in the same direction of Amelia, Angel didn't need to look into their minds to know what the two had truly meant 'but, we will be if you push us.'

"How's Max?" Angel poked her head into the room everyone seemed, minus Iggy and Gazzy , were there.

"My head hurts." Max sat up rubbing her temple "But, I'm fine."

"What happened Angel?" Fang asked.

"You told me to stay still then I pasted out." Max's looked at her knowing the cherub like girl would have answered.

"You won't believe me." Angel look at pale shaking her head.

"Come on Ange." Nudge prodded

"I saw a white hands." Angel shuttered, for the first time in a long while she looked a child.

"Hands…." Fang raised an eyebrow "Like ghosts?"

"What did the hand do?" Angel shivered, she remembered the two transparent left hands perched on Amelia's shoulders, how when Max turned her back they floated up like jelly fish one going for her wind pipe while the other jabbed her in the spine.

"Touched you" she answered unsure how to explain; her change in powers, her strange sight, her nightmare.

"So ghost hands touched me then I passed out." Max blinked

"Oh this." Nudge cooed "This remind oh a horror movie where."

Angel looked away not paying attention any more the hands weren't the first time she saw ghosts ,after the woke up from her nightmare she saw many ghosts in her room. All girls around her age some in hospital gowns and others dress to the nines as if they were porcelain dolls. Angel screamed not being able to fine a cognitive connection in any of the girls.

'Cetus is hungry Archangel, very hungry.' They told her. She instant remembered her nightmare the sea had split in half as a monster with a head of a whale and ram horns rose from the deep. Lager bear like hands clawed at the shore line being forth massive waves in its wake. The world had ended but, whenever she saw a vision of the future she could know only see that beast, staring right back.

"Angel." Max called out as she noticed the small girl stumble out of room eyes wide.

(AN: So sorry it took so long the newest Maximum Ride book inspired me to keep going. Also I was thinking about calling Amelia's 'little' team the Magistrates, tell me what you think about it?)


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_"There's an ocean between us. You know where to find me. You reach out and touch me. I feel you in my own heart. More than a lifetime. Still goes on forever. But it helps to remember. You're only an ocean away."_ Amelia sang whispery into one of the small communicator that had been strapped to her wrists. Taping the communicator she sending in taking a deep breath moments later as massive pain in her chest dissipated. She looked around the near empty dining area she had hid in it was nearly empty. She shifted in her seat as the pain drifted back to her side, she had bent her damage wing in away so it would rest upon her shoulder and draped over her like a cape. She eminently regretted it now; even though the artificial wing was easier to carry the pain made it hard for to do more than sit or stand.

It had been at least fifteen minutes since Maximum collapse, and her comrades had went out to attempt to create a good name with the rest of The Flock, Iggy and The Gasman, and find some allies amongst the fearful and angry children. Yet, to Amelia the mission was over before it really began. She didn't want to take this mission, it wasn't that her task was impossible. It was her targets The Flock, Max particularly.

She rubbed her neck, her fingers traced around her metal collar it had definitely gotten tighter since she left home. She closed eyes at the thought of her home, the hybrids that live in the ten cities and the hybrids of the fallen world were so much alike yet, and she could scene the major different. She had witnessed it on her one trip outside the cities, but even that would never make her and her family the same as the flock.

She winced moving her hand from her collar. She took a deep breath as she resorted her senses, fear, confusion, hate. She felt from all over each emotion a different sensation, it wasn't likes the Stiffers, or the blue eyed prophet Angel. It was like an intense wave of empathy feeling all of the emotions with none of the thought behind it, but the opposite happens as well. When the wall of apathy dropped she was as useless as she was useful, lacking feeling made it easy to do the hard stuff.

Amelie sorted the emotions from the throng of sensation. She shifted through the majority looking the feeling of her targets. She spun around in her set at familiar and unwelcomed feeling, Jeb stood a great distance way but his cold eyes examining her in an only a man of science could. She started him down, it was unbelievably hard, looking at Max made her think of bad memories. Jeb brought up deep dark nightmares.

'like my eyes mister Batchelder, they're a gift. 'She thought as he turned and left. She want to fallow him make clear she wasn't the doe eyed girl he had sent to die all those years ago.

"Talk." She typed in to her other wrist communicator

"New York is empty... and under water." The response was anonymous but Amelia could guess not everyone was allowed to contact her know.

"We knew that already." She reposed

"Yeah but, it's so eerie in person." It answered

"You know your mission. Save. Detect. Recuse. "She remind passive, she had her troubles to help and couldn't risk helping another.

"Yes." The text blinked

"Contact the HQ if anything new happens." It was the only advice she could give.

"Um Amelia, right?" a new voice made her jump she turn to the last person she expected, Dylan.

"Yes?" she stood to face him fully.

"Do you know what happened out there?" he asked referring to when the sky had caught fire , a day she wouldn't forget.

"Yes, and I want to help." She smiled give a friendly tone, she wasn't sure how to react to him and planed this conversation to the bare minimum.

"How?" he asked before a distant rumbling was heard down one of the halls.

(AN: sorry for the short chapter.)


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Amelia vaulted over the table despite her in broken wing, Dylan blinked his eyes not register her next movements as darted away like a mouse or insect. "What are you doing?" she flung herself in the room that was the source of the rumbling. Robin stood in the middle of the room, staring a chard dent in the wall, beside her Gazzy grind like a mad man at the smoking hole.

"The Gasman asked for a demonstration of my ability with explosive." Robin explained, looking guilty

"We are under ground do you understand how dangerous that's." Amelia crossed her arms worried giving a quick glance.

"Hey it's perfectly safe." Gazzy waved her off.

"It's your home." She glanced down sadly Robin didn't move to comforted "I'm sorry you can proceed." Amelia walked out.

Later that day Maximum fell on her bed, eyes half open, she was existed mentally and physically and she defiantly wanted to sleep but she still had one thing keeping her awake.

"Hey Max" Total hopped on the bed beside her.

"Hey." Max yawned too tired to tell him to leave.

"Had a little chat with those new girls." He puff setting up

"Augh." Max rolled over not want to talk about anything let alone that.

"Know Max they seem perfectly fine." The scruffy black dog look over at her.

"They shouldn't be here." Max mumbled into the bed.

"Yes and they know it." Max lazily glared at him. "And their home stick, but they also believe you and others can help them"

Max felt a small pang of guilty everyone in the bunker besides Nudge wouldn't give her the three the time of day. Then her tiredness sets in and didn't care once more she opened her mouth to speak as a distance ear piercing shriek erupted from outside of her door. Max shoots up fling herself into the hall, leaving the startled Total on her bed.

"What's going on?" Max started at a large crowd gathering around a small room someone had given the three outsides. She shifted her way through the crowd to see Rodin pushes the crowd back snapping sharply at anyone that tried getting close "What's happening here!" Max spoke up to the dark haired girl.

"She got attacked." Robin said in a mix of shock and sadness "She want to sleep on the floor because her wing hurt too much." Max looked over her shorter the amber haired girl weeping their leader pale yellow eyes half open and clouded "Her collar's alarm woke me and my sister up."

"The attacker blotted." Emma sobbed, trying to carry the taller girl to the door "But we found this, in Amelia's shoulder." She held out an all too familiar to Max.

"A syringe." Max said, shocked, uncomfortable at the thought of what could have been injected into the unconscious girl.

"We must take her home." Emma looked at her sister worriedly "Take her out of the underground soon so the cities can receive the distress single from the collar." Max registered what she was saying. If Amelia

"Why don't we take her to the infirmary?" Dr. Martinez made her "We can probably heal her."

"Please she means more to everyone back home than you know." Robin helps her sister lift the limp body of Amelia from the floor

"Come on." Dr. Martinez led the two a nearby infirmary, Max didn't feel compelled to follow, too tired to investigate at the time.

"Max." Nudge walked up to her worried desperately wanting to talk.

"Yeah." Max took a deep breath and rubbed her eyes, trying to get herself to focus.

"I've been thinking about it and I think when it's time for them to leave." Nudge twirled her hair.

"No" Max looked out between her fingers

"Max, feel responsible for that happen to Amelia." Nudge tried to explain "Think I can really make it up to her if just see what their home is like."

"Nudge I don't think it's safe." Max started

"Well I do." Nudge crossed her arms defiantly "I and Iggy are going as soon as Amelia is ok enough to leave."

"I think Max is right." Angel's voice cut in the cherub like girl stared at the older two "But I think we need to go Sitnalta."

"What?" Max glared at the small girl.

"The world has ended Max, yet apparently 10 cities managed to survive." Angel stared at Max's with her blue eyes "Do you think that's a little strange, like it's impossible?"

"Yes!" Max shouts trying to get the twos change mind. "It's a big trap, I can fell it."

"I don't so, what they say is genuine, and that why I can't trust them." The small blonde spoke

"How can you say that Angel?!" Nudge wined at Angel's paradoxical statement. The small girl shrugged, walking off.

"They really believe in peace, even after what has happened." Max tried to give one last attempt to change Nudges mind "They seem so" she tried to stop herself from yawning "sheltered."

"Well ok so Angels coming that make three of us." Nudge discarded Max's tired words "I'm going to go pack or something."

"Nudge" Max started only for Nudge to walk away. "Blaghr."

"There's nothing you can do to change her mind." Angel's voice penetrated Max's head.

"Fine!" Max wined by the invasion of her brain. "I'll go too."

"I'm glad you've made your choice." Robin said behind her, Max turned to see her, she looked different relaxed.

"Don't think we're happy to go." Max said using we to indicate her flock.

"It's cool at least we won't return home total failure." Rodin scratched her hair, giggling.

Max fell down on her bed, sighing at the chance to rest. She closed her eyes only waking seconds later by her bedroom door opening.

"Hey." Fang leans in the doorway "I heard you're going to go."

"I'm curious." Max said not fully awake.

"Right." Fang rolled his eyes, walking in "I'm going where ever you go." He said passive "And so will you know who."

"Gazzy?" she raised an eyebrow dogging the subject of Dylan. "I bet he'd be super lonely without Ig." She looked up at Fang his face had gotten close to her's.

"What the!" Fang jumped as the computer hummed to life bouncing on the table.

"MAX!" the black text popped on the screen, Maximum ran out of bed still tried.

"Hello? Aquarius" she typed.

"Thank goodness." Aquarius responded "I found a new plant."

"New plants." She typed back

"Who are you typing?" Fang glared over her shoulders

"I don't know they say there name is Aquarius." She rubbed her eyes.

"Like the Zodiac?" Fang blinked

"Just one and it's everywhere." Aquarius's respond "Got to go." The computer shut down.

"It busted!" Fang slapped the monitor trying to get the computer to work.

"Angel?" make turned to the door seeing the little blonde peeking in the room.

"What happed in there?" Angel spoke up.

"What do you think?" Fang asked blinking at the little physic

"Mysterious messenger?" the little girl looked at Max nodded "Amelia is waking up. I think we should question her." She offered

"I'm up to it." Fang smirked also arranged to irrigate the meatal winged girl.

"Wha- ." Max nodded

When the three entered the infirmary, it was already crowed everyone in the flock standing around the room. Amelia glancing around with her yellow eyes shacking.

"Well come back to the world of the living." Iggy said noticing her first.

"My collar…" she gripped her neck her collar seeming to have lacked on her neck tighter.

"We know, we know." Emma took the metal winged girl's hand patting it genteelly.

"Do you know who attacked you?" Nudge said taking concern.

"Glass." She coughed tears rolling down her face from pain. "White coat."

"White coat." Everyone repeated in differ tones, except Max blinking processing a thought.

"JEB!" she erupted in anger rushing out of the room dodging arms that tried to stop her. 'Where is he?' She growled inwardly running up and down the halls "You!" she corned him.

"You are angry?" he looked at her almost robotic

"Noooo." She said sarcastic, Jed continue to remain emotionless "Why'd you do it you said you changed?" Max's became enraged

"I did it to protect you to protect everyone." He tried to use a fatherly tone

"From her, she wanted peace." She almost covered her mouth rejecting her own words.

"The world would be full of peace if she had died like she was supposed to." He said with pure justification in his word making her face go red. "Do I take it you're siding with her, like the others?"

"What, did, you do to her?" she said quietly.

"I never meant to- ."

"Answer me!" Maximum screamed at Jeb's attempt to back pelt

(AN: Sorry, this was a bad chapter)


End file.
